DE4400232A1 - Step free locking mechanism for adjustable seat for vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

The locking mechanism has stage rails (22) parallel to a fitting device (20), which has stages (24) and stage apertures in period mass (P), and a locking unit (30) with more than two locking teeth (30), which can be moved along the rails. For the period mass (P), the device has a short stage aperture (26), a first stop (24), a long stage aperture (28) and a second stop (24) of the same width as the first one. The long stage aperture is at least 50% wider than the short stage aperture. The width of the two stops taken together forms less than 40%, preferably less than 25%, of the period mass (P).

Description

The invention relates to a locking device for a adjustable vehicle seat, e.g. B. for a longitudinally displaceable vehicle seat, with a locking rail running parallel to an adjustment direction, has the catches and catch openings arranged in the period dimension P and with one of these, in the direction of adjustment along the catch rail ne sliding locking unit that has more than two locking teeth, Which

• - Independently of each other in a transverse to the locking rail The locking direction can be moved,
• - are preloaded elastically in the snap-in direction,
• - can be disengaged together,
• - Arranged one behind the other at equal intervals in the setting direction are,
• - which are identical,
• - Two side flanks each, which are intended to rest against the notches are, wherein at least one of the two side flanks has a partial area lying at the front in the latching direction, which in runs at an acute angle to the snap-in direction Angle as large as possible on the one hand, but still sufficient on the other hand chosen small that the ratchet tooth in case of accidental loading of the Vehicle seat in the direction of adjustment does not automatically from its locking position tion can be pushed out in a locking opening.

In this finding known from European Patent 408 932 direction is at least one locking tooth on the in the acute angle to the snap-in section of a side chen flank of this ratchet tooth. This ratchet tooth snaps during the locking process  not completely, but comes along in different positions of the section that ver at an acute angle to the locking direction runs, to the system on the corresponding detent.

Of the several ratchet teeth, depending on the latching state, only engage a few in locking openings, sometimes only two locking teeth. Divided by two Ratchet teeth are fully locked. Of these two Locking teeth take over one tooth in one direction of blocking Direction of adjustment while the other tooth with its opposite Flank the blocking in the other direction of the setting direction takes. The remaining ratchet teeth are misaligned on the notches on, they are not required for the specifically set locking process. But they are between for the locking engagement in other relative positions the locking rail and the locking unit necessary.

The known locking device is particularly suitable for manual actuated locking devices on adjustable vehicle seats, at for example for locking the length adjustment device of a backrest steering fitting, etc. In the practical version, it is operated via an actuating device, for example by means of a Bowden done. Will this actuator against the force of the individual ratchet teeth are pulled in the direction of the preloading springs and tensioned, lifts or pulls the ratchet teeth in a release position, i.e. out of engagement with the notches. The release date direction is designed as a tow coupling, it initially acts on the at least one, most protruding ratchet tooth, raise it, then raise the other, less strong ones locking teeth protruding towards and finally takes those Ratchet teeth that rest on the notches.

When it comes to practical operation, it makes sense for an operator a graded operator noticeable. First of all, if only one ratchet tooth or a few ratchet teeth are tightened is the force for the release low. However, the force increases by leaps and bounds when the misaligned ones rise up the ratchet teeth resting on the notches in the further course of the release mechanism can also be raised and released. The user senses a gradual force during the release movement.  

This gradation is in individual cases of the relative positions between Snap rail and locking unit particularly pronounced if only two Ratchet teeth are engaged and the rest of the ratchet teeth on the notches lying on without intervention. In this case, a user could press the release means the level of force he feels when continuing progressive release movement also free the not locked ratchet teeth men, already as an end stop of the release device and thus as an end understand the movement he has to make for the release. In the In this case, however, the release has not yet been reached. But even if he did Not making this mistake is a graded actuation force in Freiga report unusual for a user and misleading.

This is where the invention begins. It has set itself the task of Known locking device of the type mentioned to further develop that without changing the practically stepless locking at any relative position always more than half of the Ratchet teeth engage in locking openings, so that the number of without intervention ratchet teeth resting on the notches is as small as possible and at one Actuation of the release device in the release position a user power level as small as possible senses when he is in the course of the release movement after the locked, the not locked ratchet teeth in the release position lung moves.

Starting from the locking device of the type mentioned solved this problem in that for each period measure P a short Locking opening, a first locking, a long locking opening and a second, in its width corresponding to the first notch is provided, wherein the long rest opening is at least 1.5 times as wide as the short rest opening and the two catches together less than 40%, preferably account for less than 25% of the period measure P.

In this locking device periodically and alternately two un different locking openings are provided, namely a short and a long ge. In the chosen description of claim 1, the period dimension P is defined so that each period consists of a short and a long locking opening as well as two of the equally wide detents. The associated locking unit with n equally spaced, identical ratchet teeth has an overall width which corresponds to the sum of n times b plus (n - 1) times z, where b is the width of a ratchet tooth and z is the distance between two ratchet teeth. This overall width can be smaller and is preferably smaller than the dimension P, it is z. B. 0.8 _* P.

The locking rail of the locking device according to the invention has a proportion more openings than notches, which at least make the notches together 60%, preferably at least 75% of the length of the latching rail rend only 25%, preferably only 20%. This is the probability that one of the locking teeth hits a notch, relatively low. In other words, rest at the festival according to the invention Adjustment device of n ratchet teeth at least 3/5, preferably at least 3/4 and in particular at least 4/5 more or less. This will the level when pulling out the individual ratchet teeth only insignificantly misaligned ratchet teeth determined. In particular, when pulling free not suddenly several ratchet teeth resting on the notches are exposed, rather, the force when pulling free is graduated in many ways.

The distance between two has proven to be particularly advantageous neighboring ratchet teeth in the area of their tooth tips larger than that Width of a notch and the distance from two adjacent locking teeth in the Area above this section is smaller than the width of a notch choose. The locking then comes about because two are adjacent Te ratchet teeth rest on a notch on the left and right. Of these two One ratchet tooth is fully engaged, so it is on top half of its sloping section in contact with the catch, the the other is locked in such a way that it is locked on the partial area. There is always a precise, play-free arrangement regardless of tolerances achieved. This locking mechanism only requires two locking teeth. The additional locking teeth are not necessary for the specific locking manoeuvrable, but they cause a lock when the locking unit around ei a small proportion of the period dimension compared to the catch rail is pushed. In other words, the additional ratchet teeth cause Ar Positions in positions that are only slightly different from the locking position of the the two locking teeth under consideration is removed. So this way achieved a very fine, but not step-free locking.

It has proven to be very advantageous to circle the short latching openings to form and the long locking openings as elongated holes  ren, that of half arcs with the radii of the short locking openings are limited. The ratchet teeth are then round and have one Radius that is smaller than the radius of the circular, short latching opening gene, it is preferably less than 70% of this radius, in particular even less than 60%. This locking device can be inexpensive put. Defined systems are created by the diameter differences aims. In the case of the ratchet teeth, it can be achieved by rotation that they not be worn on one side.

Locking units with four locking teeth have proven to be particularly preferred proven, in their normal case there are always three locking teeth in the ra sten rail locked and there is only a ratchet tooth without engagement on a notch. The design effort with four ratchet teeth is still portable, the blocking effect, however, by the normally three in one the ratchet teeth were of good quality.

In the locking device according to the invention is in any Relative position between locking unit and catch rail always reached, that at least one locking tooth engages in one of the locking openings. Doing so always arrested, also acceleration-related acceleration resists forces. However, this locking is not always free of play. For there is a play-free locking between the locking unit and the locking rail often a relative movement between these two parts is necessary dig. If it happens, another ratchet tooth comes in at least as far handle until the play-free locking is reached. A distinction is made with between a first stage of locking, in which a sufficient Secure connection between locking unit and catch rail always achieved is, regardless of the relative position between the locking rail and Locking unit, and a backlash-free lock that is not in any relative position is reachable, but starting from the first stage of the lock tion with smaller relative movements, such as those caused by movements of the pas sagiers or accelerations of the motor vehicle always occur, he is enough.

Further advantages and features of the invention result from the others Claims and the following description of two are not limiting embodiments to be understood with reference be explained in more detail on the drawing. In this show:  

Fig. 1 a locking device with a catch rail and a Sper purity with three locking teeth in side view is shown from the condition of rest,

Fig. 2 shows the locking device according to Fig. 1 in the state immediately after release of the actuating device for the locking unit,

Fig. 3, the locking device according to Fig. 1 in the state completely abge connected, play-free locking device,

Fig. 4 is a plan view approximately example a catch rail for a second exporting,

Fig. 5 is a sectional side view of a locking unit in the assembled state and with four identical, equally spaced locking teeth with a circular cross section and

Fig. 6 is a representation of the locking rail as Fig. 4, viewed from below, showing the engagement of the four locking teeth of the locking unit according to FIG. 5 in a play-free locking.

As both exemplary embodiments show, the locking device has a catch rail 22 which runs parallel to an adjustment direction 20 and which has catches 24 arranged in the period dimension P, short catch openings 26 and long catch openings 28 . A short Rastöff opening 26 , a first notch 24 , a long notch 28 and a second notch 24 are provided per period measure. The two catches 24 are identical in construction, in particular they have the same length (viewed in the direction of adjustment 20 ). The short latch opening 26 has approximately 66% of the length of the long latch opening 28 . The catches 24 are each 80% as long as a short catch opening 26 . The period measure P is shown.

A locking unit 30 is assigned to this locking rail 22 . In practical use, the locking unit 30 and the locking rail 22 are relatively displaceable relative to one another in the setting direction 20 . The setting direction 20 can, as in a longitudinal adjustment device, be a straight line, but it can also, as in the case of a joint adjustment device for example, be curved.

The locking unit 30 has three flat locking teeth 32 , 34 , 36 of identical construction. They are each longitudinally displaceable in a guide 38 , namely in a locking direction 40 , which extends transversely to the setting direction 20 . This snap-in direction 40 can also be curved, in the exemplary embodiment shown according to FIGS. 1 to 3 it runs in a straight line. The guide 38 ensures that the locking teeth 32 to 36 can only move in the locking direction 40 . The guide 38 extends as close as possible to the catch rail 22 .

In the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS . 1 to 3, the ratchet teeth have on their left side a flank 42 extending in the latching direction 40 . Your right flank is composed of an obliquely extending Teilbe rich 44 , which starts directly at the blunted, lower, free end of the locking tooth 32 to 36 , and a continuing upward, in the snap-in direction 40 area 46th The inclined Teilbe rich 44 extends at an angle that is chosen as large as possible, but on the other hand is still sufficiently small that the ratchet tooth in an accident-related relative movement between the locking unit 30 and Ra stenschiene 22 not automatically pushed out against the locking direction 40 from a rest position can be. Specifically, this means that the two outer locking teeth 32 to 36 in the illustration of FIGS. 2 and 3 cannot be pushed out of the latched state shown. In the illustration according to FIGS. 1 to 3 is the slope of the Teilbe Reich 44 exaggerated. In practice, the angle is approximately 10 °, for example 12 °, and is dependent on the angle of self-locking between the materials used.

As can only be seen from FIG. 1, the locking teeth 32 to 36 are elastically preloaded in the latching direction 40 by a spring 48 assigned to them. The ratchet teeth 32 to 36 can be disengaged together, Fig. 1 shows the common disengaged state. For disengaging an actuation device is provided, which is known per se. Only the essential parts of it are shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. Thereafter, each locking tooth 32 to 36 has a slot 50 extending in the latching direction 40 , the free length of which is greater than the length of the partial region 44 plus the thickness of the latching rail 22 . In this slot 50 , a pin 52 engages the actuating device, which is actuated, for example, by means of a Bowden cable. In Fig. 1, the state is shown in which the pins 52 of the actuation device hold all three locking teeth 32 to 36 in the uppermost position. If the actuating device is released, the pins 52 assume their lowest position, which is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In this position, they limit the path of each ratchet tooth 32 to 36 in a locking direction 40th Thus, the central locking tooth 34 in FIGS . 2 and 3 is maximally moved in the latching direction 40 and cannot be moved further down.

Upon release of the actuating device for the lock unit 30 lau following motions fen from: The locking unit 30 is in a random position relative to the catch rail 22nd Starting from the state according to FIG. 1, the released ratchet teeth 32 to 36 move independently of one another, they advance so far until they either stop at notches 24 or, as in the case of the middle ratchet tooth 34 represents the maximum movement downward . In this way, the state according to FIG. 2 is reached. It is a first level of locking, this locking is already sufficient for accident-related situations, but not yet free of play. A play-free locking is only achieved by a relative movement in the setting direction 20 , such a locking is shown in FIG. 3. As can be seen from a comparison with FIG. 2, the catch rail 22 has moved somewhat to the right until the left flank 42 of the central locking tooth 34 abuts against the right edge of the adjacent catch 24 . At the same time, the two outer locking teeth 32 , 36 have moved further forward in the latching direction 40 . The lock according to Fig. 3 is free from play because the left flank 42 abuts in a direction of the adjustment direction 20 of the central locking tooth 34 at the described edge of the notch 24 and the other adjustment direction is blocked by the portions 44 of the two locking teeth 32, 36.

In Figs. 4 to 6 a second embodiment is shown. Both exemplary embodiments have in common that the ratchet teeth are arranged in the same direction from one another in the setting direction 20 . Z is the distance between two ratchet teeth, b is the width of a ratchet tooth. The number of locking teeth is designated by n, in the first exemplary embodiment n = 3, in the second n = 4.

In both exemplary embodiments and in principle for the locking device according to the invention, that regardless of the relative position between the locking rail 22 and the locking unit 30 upon release of the actuating device of the locking unit 30 under the action of the springs 48, at least one ratchet tooth engages as far as a locking opening 26 or 28 that a first stage of locking is reached.

As can be seen from FIGS . 4 to 6, the locking unit has four pin-shaped locking teeth 32 to 37 with a circular cross section. They are frustoconical at their lower, free end. As a result, a partial region 44 is formed on both the left and the right flank (seen in the setting direction 20 ), which then continues upwards in a region 46 which extends in the latching direction 40 . The towing coupling of the actuating device and the springs are not shown for the locking unit 30 according to FIG. 5, but they are designed as in the first exemplary embodiment or in another manner known to the person skilled in the art.

In the second embodiment, the short latching openings 26 are circular, the radius of the circle is r. The long locking openings are oblong holes that are delimited by two semicircular arcs with radius r and whose total length is 4 r. They are therefore twice as long (seen in the setting direction 20 ) as the short latching openings 26th The catches 24 are long. The period measure is therefore P = 9r. The two notches 24 thus make up 2/9 of the period dimension P.

The pin-shaped, identical ratchet teeth 32 to 37 have a diameter of 1.2 r, ie 60% of the diameter of a circular, short Rastöff opening 26th Their clear distance z is smaller than the width of a notch 24 . In the area of their tips, where the partial areas 44 have an effect, the clear distance between the ratchet teeth is larger than the width of a catch 24 . This is at the play-free locking of FIG. 6 seen there, the two left-hand ratchet teeth 32, 34 tion for the play-free Arretie are responsible, of them, the left locking tooth 32 is completely latching device in an advanced 40 while the second locking tooth 34 only partly engaged is, it rests with its left portion 44 on the neighboring notch 24 and thus ensures freedom from play. The third locking tooth 36 seen from the left lies on a catch 24 , while the fourth locking tooth 37 has engaged freely and without any attachment in a long locking opening 28 .

The width of the locking unit 30 measured over all four locking teeth 32 to 37 is n _* b + (ni) _* z. This measure is about 80% of P.

Claims (11)

1. Locking device for an adjustable vehicle seat, for. B. for egg nen longitudinally displaceable vehicle seat, with a parallel to an adjustment direction ( 20 ) extending locking rail ( 22 ), the periodically arranged P catches ( 24 ) and locking openings and with a water assigned in the adjustment direction ( 20 ) along the Locking rail ( 22 ) displaceable locking unit ( 30 ), which has more than two locking teeth ( 32-36 )

• - can be moved independently of one another in a latching direction ( 40 ) running transversely to the latching rail ( 22 ),
• - are preloaded elastically in the latching direction ( 40 ),
• - can be disengaged together,
• - Are arranged one behind the other at equal intervals in the setting direction ( 20 ),
• - are identical,
• - Each have two side flanks which are intended to rest against the catches ( 24 ), at least one of the two side flanks having a partial region ( 44 ) lying at the front in the snap-in direction ( 40 ), which is at an acute angle to the snap-in direction ( 40 ), this angle is on the one hand as large as possible, but on the other hand is chosen to be sufficiently small that the ratchet tooth ( 32 ) cannot be automatically pushed out of its detent position in a detent opening in the setting direction ( 20 ) when the vehicle seat is subjected to an accident. characterized in that a short locking opening (26), a first latch, a long latching opening (28) and a second, corresponding in their width of the first notch (24) catch (24) is provided per period dimension P, respectively, with the long detent opening ( 28 ) is at least 1.5 times as wide as the short latching opening ( 26 ) and the width of the two rasters ( 24 ) taken together a few r make up 40%, preferably less than 25% of the period dimension P.

2. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the long latching opening ( 28 ) is greater than the sum of the distance z between two ratchet teeth ( 32-37 ) and the width b of two ratchet teeth ( 32- 37 ), that is larger as z + 2b. 3. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the short latching opening ( 26 ) is larger than the width b of a locking tooth ( 32 ), and that it is preferably smaller than twice the width of a locking tooth ( 32 ). 4. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the long latching opening ( 28 ) is not less than twice the width of the small latching opening ( 26 ), preferably that the long latching opening ( 28 ) has a width which is twice as large as that Width of the short locking opening ( 26 ). 5. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance z between two adjacent locking teeth ( 32-37 ) in the region of their tooth tips is greater than the width of a notch ( 24 ) and that the distance between two adjacent locking teeth ( 32-36 ) in the area above the partial area ( 44 ) is smaller than the width of a notch ( 24 ). 6. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the width of a catch ( 24 ) is not greater than 12% of the period dimension P, and that it is preferably 10% of the period dimension P. 7. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the short latching openings ( 26 ) are circular, the radius of the Krei ses r, that the long latching openings ( 28 ) are elongated holes which are delimited by circular arcs with the radius r and that the ratchet teeth ( 32-37 ) are round and have a radius s, the radius s being smaller than the radius r, preferably smaller than 70% of the radius r and in particular being 60% of this radius s. 8. Locking device according to claim 7, characterized in that to form the portion ( 44 ), the locking teeth ( 32-37 ) have a conical, preferably frustoconical tip. 9. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking unit ( 30 ) has more than three locking teeth, preferably that it has four locking teeth ( 32-37 ). 10. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the total width of the locking device with n locking teeth ( 32-37 ), namely n _* b + (n-1) z, is smaller than the period dimension P. 11. Locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that the common disengagement of the locking teeth ( 32-37 ) via a towing coupling and that their free towing distance is greater than the length of the sloping portion ( 44 ).